Returne then vnto your selfe, and thinke herein what best beseemeth your daughter,Peroratiō. remember that what you take in hande in that action is vngodlie, iniust, seuere, and vnnaturall, that in giuing such a husband, you shall giue her (without the greater grace of God) and him both to the diuell. Consider, that you are with pietie, and to a Christian purpose and ende, to moderate your authoritie, weigh with your selfe that the couetousnes wherwith you are ouercome is no purchase to her of safety. And ballancing all these in the waight and cords of equalitie, withdraw your selfe, and by such meanes become disswaded from so great an absurditie.Epiphonema. So may you the more easilie performe that vnto her belongeth, as a kinde and louing father, and for the profite by this trauell reaped at your hands, bind her and all vs with greater feruencie, to loue you. Whereon concluding the scope of all my former desires, I end, &c.
An Epistle reprehensorie to a young
Gentleman.
ABout seuen dayes passed,Narratiō. I receyued Letters from my Brother N. the long expectation whereof, and desire I had to bee infourmed of your well dooing, made mee inwardly reioyce at the first viewe of them, supposing that as I deliuered you out of my handes, I should still haue found you in the same predicament, without alteration, or so much as anie surmize of that wherof I haue beene thereby aduertised.
It is long since indeede that you were with mee, at which time you were in manner a childe, neuertheles in those tender yeares so towardlie giuen, and of so milde and gentle disposition, as there was great cause whie then I should esteeme of you, and much matter offered to all others that knewe yee, whereupon to commend you: But nowe if it bee true as I am informed, your actions are turned quite contrarie, you are become a chaungeling,Synonymia. you are no more the same, but another in qualitie, minde and operation. If this bee so, you haue surelie taken a wrong course,Antithesis. in exchaunge of vertue, to make choise of vice: in steede of laudable exercises, to admit a number of lewd qualities: in place of good and honest vsage, to enter into a life vnciuill, lewde and sauage: your companie keeping is (as is reported) without anie order, your studies are carelesse, your pastime recklesse, your tabling drunkennesse,Epiphonema. your liuing vnthriftinesse: finallie, blushing before time at all thinges, for their noueltie, you dare boldlie nowe to aduenture anie thing bee it with neuer so great infamie. These things, my good Coosen, I must tell you are vnfit for a Gentleman, and much ill beseeming that education of yours, whereunto they were neuer accustomed. From these, if you will doe aright, you are nowe to weld your speedie course, and quicklie to depart, calling to your remembrance, that what approcheth the condition of euerie ordinarie person is not meete for your credite, and what in men of common account appeareth to bee no blemish is in your reputation helde to be a great and notable faultinesse.
When men desire to bee well famed,Hirmos. and by true renowne to rise vnto worthinesse, they flie sloath, and giue themselues to auoyde all occasions of Idlenesse, they endeuour to become painefull and industrious to couet thinges of highest accompt, and to bee in companie with the most vertuous. Their credite hath no supporte by vanities, they seeke not their reputation among raunnagates, they conuerse not with Tauerne-haunters, and bibbers, they liue not with men of vilde accompt, dissolute and vngratious, such kinde of meanes (as insufficient to glorie) they deeme wretched and opprobrious.Epiphonema.
You nowe if you would bee such as you ought to bee, must also pursue the tracte of these, the sweetenesse and delicacie whereof (if but a little you will pierce into the sowre and harsh taste of the other) you shall quicklie conceiue,Antithesis. marke but the praise, benefites, estimate and good reporte, entertained with the one; and on the other side, the discredite, shame, discommoditie, and vile reckoning alwaies made of the other, and then iudge by your owne decernement, howe much and howe greatlie you are ledde awrie, in thus careleslie roaming vppon others vilities, and concluding with your selfe vppon the ill conceipt that all good men haue of such hatefull and disorderlie kinde of liuing, returne betimes, ere too late, for want of good aduisement, you foolishlie begin to crie out of your winning.
Principiis obsta, sero medicina paratur,
Cum mala per longas conualuere moras.
First stop the cause, too late doth phisicke come,
When euils smal, to great (by sufferance) run.